“In the end, renting is complicated… but buying is like the game telling you: ‘Come back when you reach expert level’"

The news headline “Without apartments, there is no supply” (“Diari Bon Dia”, Monday, April 20, 2026. No. 5,537) is one of those phrases that leave you either thinking… or laughing, depending on the day. It’s like saying that without bread, there is no sandwich!

Thank you for the information; everything is much clearer now.

But let's get to the point: it’s not just that apartments in Andorra are expensive… it’s that they seem to come with views of the moon, five-star hotel service, and a little piece of international luxury thrown in for good measure. Because otherwise, it just doesn't make sense. Prices have reached a point where you look at an ad and wonder if it also includes a friendly neighbor and your morning coffee.

Faced with this, people are performing magic. Where one family used to live, there might now be two… or almost a small convention. Sharing a flat is no longer a university experience; it’s practically a survival strategy. And all done with great dignity, because in the end, people just want to live.

And meanwhile, we think about the grants for first-time homebuyers. And it sounds great, it really does. But with a bit of mischief, one wonders: are these grants like the Three Wise Men—everyone talks about them, but not everyone actually sees them? Because between the requirements, the conditions, and the reality of the market, getting hold of them isn't always as easy as it looks.

The news about Government subsidies for first-time homeowners is the kind that looks good at first glance. You think: “Look, that’s good news.” And it is, because any initiative to facilitate access to housing is always a plus.

And then comes the “let’s try to buy” moment!

The idea is clear: help people take the step toward buying their first apartment. The interesting detail is that, to get this far, you often need to be in a pretty solid position already. That’s to say, it’s not so much “come here, we’ll help you get started” as it is “if you’re already quite close, we’ll give you a final nudge.”

And this is where the banks come in, doing their job (and doing it well): “Yes, yes, no problem… the requirements, the guarantees… that whole set of little ‘tests’ that turn the process into a kind of administrative obstacle course. We just need you to already have the money.”

Now, when you look at it with a bit more calm (and a bit of a sense of humor), it also has that side that makes you smile. Because it feels a bit like those spectacular discounts… but first you have to be able to pay… and meet the requirements…

A bit like going to the doctor and being told: “You’re in perfect health… provided you were already fine before you came.”

In short, if you don’t have a good financial cushion, the door remains somewhat… decorative.

And the government, meanwhile, observes the situation with that calm you can only have when you’re not looking for an apartment on a Monday at eight in the evening. They are surely working on it, but from the outside, it seems the issue is moving at a pace of “we’ll get around to looking at it.”

Nothing out of the ordinary, all very proper, but seen from the outside, it can look like a race where not everyone starts from the same starting line.

With a bit of cheek, one could say these grants are like that friend who tells you: “Don't worry, if you’ve got almost everything ready, I’ll help you with the final step.” And you think: “Perfect… now I just need the whole first stretch.”

Even so, the intention is there, and that is important. Perhaps the challenge lies in making these grants increasingly accessible, closer to the reality of those who truly need to start from zero.

Because in the end, if a first home becomes a goal that feels distant for many people, maybe it’s not just a matter of helping… but of rethinking how to get there.

In summary: finding an apartment has become a mix of a scavenger hunt, an adventure sport, and a test of patience.

It’s funny… until it isn’t.

Because in the end, behind all this humor remains a pretty clear idea: if living in an apartment starts to seem like a luxury, then yes… maybe something isn’t working quite right.

“Renting is an obstacle course… and buying is a marathon with a backpack”

Sabrina Laranjo

“Si això fos una conversa, ara tocaria un cafè.”